The Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon marked my eighth marathon and first since Boston in 2014.  The primary reason I picked this marathon, as said in my part one post My Journey Back to the Marathon, was to do it with my friend Jarrod as he is trying to qualify for Boston in every state and hadn't done Arkansas yet.  Other reasons were it had good reviews on MarathonGuide.com, the course looked fast, and based on previous results Jarrod and I thought we could place first and second overall.  I haven't won marathon yet while Jarrod won the Brookings Marathon in South Dakota in 2011.  I've won at every distance I've raced except for 10 miles and the marathon.  I knew in order for me to win a marathon I'd have to find a smaller one where the winning times weren't much faster than mid 2:40s as my PR is 2:49:52 set at Boston in 2014.  Even though Jarrod couldn't do this marathon with me due to injury I was trained and ready for my return to the marathon distance thanks to the great coaching of Philip Latter of The Running Syndicate.  

My Dad and I made the trip out to Arkansas over two days of driving.  We stopped near Dickson, TN on Thursday night.  I woke up Friday morning, the day before the race, and did a 3 mile shakeout run.  It was cold; 21 degrees with a wind chill of 13.  It didn't feel bad though and was much better than the forecast for Little Rock, Arkansas the following day.  The race day forecast had been trending warmer throughout the week which was something I was not looking forward to.  Past years the weather was cold for the race with an ideal for me temperature in the 40s.  That was not going to be the case this year.  

After my shakeout run, my Dad and I continued our drive to Little Rock.  Luckily we had a full tank of gas once we crossed into Arkansas because there wasn't an exit with a gas station for hours.  After a couple stops for lunch and to get out and stretch the legs and move around we went to packet-pickup at Rock City Running, a local running speciality store.  It was a small running store but it was packed with everything you would need.  It had an impressive apparel selection for a store it's size and of course they had the brands of shoes you would expect.  Plenty of nutrition, stickers, magnets, and compression gear filled the walls.  The volunteers were very nice and packet-pickup was a breeze.  I was very happy to discover my bib number was 321.  I've always done well in races with a 3 in it, as it is my favorite number and was Sonny's as well.  

I used Airbnb again for a place for my Dad and I to stay.  We had a great place on the greenway that was only 15 min from the race start.  We settled in and just relaxed watching some TV before going to get dinner.  Pre-race dinner for me is pretty simple; carbs and protein.  Before Boston 2014, I opted for Chinese food; steamed rice with chicken and vegetables and it got the job done.  So, my Dad and I headed to a local Chinese place and I got the same meal.  The portion was so big I even had left overs for lunch after the marathon.  

​After a good night's sleep, race day arrived.  It as nice getting to sleep in later than I usually would since the race location was so close.  I ate a pop tart which I had been doing on most of my training runs about an hour and a half before the start along with 16oz of water.  My Dad and I parked at a local church and took the race shuttle over to the start/finish at Two Rivers Bridge Park.  I was nervous, excited, and ready.  The race started at 7am local time, 8am Eastern Standard time.  About 35 minutes before the race start I drank two scoops of Generation UCAN cran-raz flavor in about 10oz of water because I like it thicker.  UCAN has been awesome in my training.  It has decreased stomach distress from gels while providing me with longer lasting, steady engery opposed to the spike and crash of sugar based gels and other products.  I went through my dynamic warm-up routine and headed off for a short 10 min jog to get warmed-up.

It was already 64 degrees as the sun was coming up and the forecasted high was 70 for the day; much warmer than I prefer for a marathon.  They had a singer sing the National Anthem before we lined up for the start.  I asked one of the timing workers if there would be a lead biker and he said there would be and he would pull out in front of us once we got going.  I lined up at the front and went to the lead as the gun went off starting the race.  However, no biker ever pulled out in front of me so I hoped the course would have enough markings and volunteers to keep us on the correct route.  One guy pulled even with me a half mile in.  He asked what marathon this was for me and I said it was my eighth and he responded this was his first.  I asked what his goal was and he said sub 2:50 and I thought good, I'll have someone to run with.  Then he pulled his cell phone out and started playing music.  I also noticed he was wearing the race shirt and once I got a better look at him I realized there was no way this guy was running a sub 2:50 or even sub 3:00 in his first marathon carrying his phone and wearing the race shirt.  Well, he passed me and lead for just a little bit till we got to the first bridge, the Big Dam Bridge at mile 1.  We all know how much I like running bridges so I passed him on the first bridge and started to pull away as I was still focused on running sub 2:50 even if the conditions were not ideal because I was trained for a sub 2:50.  The Big Dam Bridge, as the other two bridges in the race, was a pedestrian only bridge meaning there was no car traffic.  The majority of the race was on the Arkansas River Trail, an impressive greenway system in the area.  The race was a nineteen miles loop to the east then a seven mile loop to the west.  

I was leading and feeling good as I ran the first three miles in 6:26, 6:29, and 6:22.  There was not many people out on the course cheering the runners on.  For the most part the only people I saw were the volunteers at the aid stations every couple miles.  Miles four, five, six, and seven were still on the Arkansas River Trail and I ran them in 6:29, 6:26, 6:27, 6:23.  I had a few miles that were a little quicker than planned pace but I felt good and went with it.  We came off the greenway just after mile seven and got on River Road and Riverfront Drive as we continued on the East loop.  Some of the mile markers had been blown down and off the path as the wind was picking up.  So far the volunteers were able to direct me in the right direction.  I ran miles eight and nine in 6:28 and 6:28.  At 9.3 miles I went over the second bridge, The Clinton Presidential Bridge, and headed to the Clinton Presidential Library where  the course did a little loop in front of it and then returned back over the Clinton Presidential Bridge at mile 10; which I ran in 6:35.  

Once turning around at the Clinton Presidential Library, I was finally able to see where second place was.  He wasn't too far behind me but it wasn't the guy who had briefly led before the first mile.  The top female was right behind the second place guy.  Now back on the road I kept my focus on hitting my splits and clicking off the miles.  Leading a marathon was a new experience for me but I wasn't letting the moment overwhelm me.  I encouraged the runners still going out to the turn at the Library as they encouraged me.  Miles eleven, twelve, and thirteen were run in 6:23, 6:25, and 6:29.  I ran the first half right at 2:50 pace splitting 1:25, although the official timing didn't register my chip at the timing mats at the halfway point.  

After mile fourteen in 6:26 I pulled out a soft flask of water from the back pocket of my shorts.  In it was a scoop of Generation UCAN and a stick of UCAN hydrate for added electrolytes which was needed with temperatures already in the low 70s exceeding the forecasted high for the day.  I had been taking water at every other stop for most of the race and the stops in-between I was taking a cup and dumping it on my head.  It was heating up fast but I was still in the lead and my lead was growing although I didn't know it at the time.  I just knew I had to stay focused.  Several times I would picture Jarrod beside me or just ahead of me to keep me motivated as it was getting lonely leading for so long without much crowd support.  

With the conditions warming up and the wind kicking up I backed off my aggressive pace to save some for the final 5K-10K in case I needed to race anyone who possibly could have caught me from behind.  I ran miles fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen in 6:38, 6:28, 6:35, and 6:56.  The wind was tough at mile 18 going back over the Big Dam Bridge.  I knew I would see my Dad at mile 19 as the course went by the start/finish area.  Seeing the finish line with seven more miles to go in a marathon can be mentally tough but I prepared for it by doing several 20+ long runs where I would run back by my car with the final 10 miles to go.  As I came by the finish line the announcer called me out as the current race leader.  It was very cool to hear my name announced as the marathon race leader.  I saw my Dad and asked him how big my lead was but I couldn't hear his response over the race announcer.  I grabbed a water bottle from him and headed over the Two Rivers Bridge at mile nineteen in 6:37.  I was starting to feel bad at this point but knew I just had a seven mile loop to do and the victory would be mine. 

The last seven mile loop was mentally and physically tough.  It was physically tough because it was approaching 75 degrees and mentally tough because I had no idea how big my lead was and I didn't want to blow it and lose this race.  The heat and the wind was taking it's toll on me.  I was slowing down which was making me run scared of being caught from behind.  I started getting annoyed with the lack of course markings on the seven mile loop as it was around a big open field but had a lot of paved trails cutting across the filed and there were no signs, no markings on the greenway, and no volunteers to direct you.  I ran miles 20 and 21 in 6:54 and 6:52.  I wasn't sure if I was going the right way so at the next aid station I asked the volunteers which way and one responded and I quote "your guess is as good as ours".  I responded with "are you fucking kidding me".  I was not happy about that.  I'm sorry I cussed but the race volunteers should know the freaking course and be able to direct runners the correct way.  Luckily a couple cyclists out for their Saturday morning ride were able to direct me in the correct direction and rode beside me a bit which was much appreciated.  

There was a lot of people out on the greenway the final seven miles because it was a nice warm day in December to walk, ride your bike, walk your dogs, but not to run a marathon.  I was getting a little frustrated having to navigate around all of those people though because most were not yielding to the runners in the race.  

I knew at mile 20 breaking 2:50 wasn't going to happen today  in these conditions as the wheels were coming off.  It started to get ugly the final five miles.  I just had to dig deep and at least break 3:00 and of course hold on for the win.  I ran miles 22, 23, 24, and 25 in 7:20, 7:16, 8:27, and 7:39.  With a mile to go I started to feel more confident that I was going to win this race but my body was shutting down.  I crossed the Two Rivers Bridge for the final time at mile 26 in 7:40.  I headed for the finish line with my Dad cheering along with the spectators.  I crossed in 2:58:13 in 1st place Overall.  I FREAKING WON A MARATHON!  I should have thrown my arms up in a victory celebration or put one finger up for 1st place but I was so done physically and mentally that I just crossed the line like it was a regular race.  There was no tape to break.  Second and third place overall, both women, were ten and fifteen minutes behind me.  The next guy to finish was twenty-seven minutes back of me.  

My Dad was very happy for me and helped walk me over to the river front to sit on a stone wall.  I felt horrible.  I was so weak.   At one point I was shivering even though it was 74 degrees when I finished.  He got an EMT to come over to check me out and they said my pulse was very weak and barely registering.  I felt like I was either going to throw up or faint or both.  I got some diluted gatorade and started sipping on that as I ate a chocolate protein recovery bar.  Slowly I started to feel better and a reporter from a local Little Rock newspaper came over and did an interview with me.  My own newspaper, the Carteret County News Times, did a great article about my win.  I love their support and really appreciate it.  They cover all the local races and local runners no matter where we race.  It's an honor to be apart of the best running community.  

I was disappointed in my time because I wanted to be so much faster and it took me awhile, as in days, to accept the time for what it was and focus more on the fact I had won a marathon.  Even if I had ran a 2:55 or anything faster than what I did it wouldn't have mattered because I still dominated the race from the start to finish winning by ten minutes.  Winning a marathon is an awesome feeling and a huge accomplishment for me or anyone who has done it.  I've now broken 3:oo in all but two of my eight marathons.  I ran 3:00:21 in my first marathon in 2009 and I ran 3:04:09 at Boston in 2012 in the record heat. 

May Dad and I left Little Rock in the early afternoon after I cleaned up and ate the leftover Chinese food for lunch.  We drove till we got east of Nashville before stopping for the night.  The crazy weather swings continued as we drove through a tornado watch once in Tennessee as a strong cold weather front was coming.  The day after the marathon it was 40 degrees, yes 40, colder the day after the race with sleet and freezing rain on the drive from Tennessee to North Carolina.  The day before and day after the race would have been much better race conditions than the actual race day.  My Dad and I stopped in Asheville to meet my friend Anne for lunch.  I hadn't seen her in awhile seeing her was a highlight of the trip.  

Overall, I liked the race and the course.   The Arkansas River Trail is an impressive greenway to run.  It wasn't flat but the hills were short and gradual with most of them being the bridges.  My Garmin had the total elevation gain at 551 feet.  There were plenty of aid stations stocked with water, gatorade, and gels and even some snacks like grapes and other things.  A very nice perk was the FREE race photos courtesy of Run Bike Swim Photos!  They got some great photos.  It's not the race's fault several mile markers and directional signs blew over in the wind but they need more signage out.  Ideally, there should be a volunteer who knows the course, a sign, and spray painted markings at every turn or any part of the course where a runner could get off course.  There should have been a leader biker as well as that would have alleviated a lot of my confusion on where to go.  Those were my only complaints.  The post race food was awesome but I didn't eat much other than fruit.  They had burgers, hot dogs, doughnuts, etc.  My Dad got a good lunch out of it though. 

I want to thank all of my friends and family for their support during this training cycle.  A big thank you goes out to my training partners for pushing me and keeping me company on long runs.  I really enjoy running with Jarrod, Jason, Jason's dog Lucy who kept me company on my solo runs, Ryan, John, Katherine, Heidi, and Kent.  I've got a great group of running partners.  Another thank you goes out to Amanda LoPiccolo for her chiropractic adjustments that kept me running smooth and healthy during this training cycle.  

This was the first time I raced in my new Running Syndicate singlet and I won a marathon in it!  I'm thankful for Philip's coaching and I'm looking forward to more races in that singlet and getting faster.  

​For those interested here is the other gear I wore for my marathon win:

Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Road ID Wrist Slim
Sunglsses:  Rudy Project Rydon 
Shoes:  Adidas Adizero Boston 5 
Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Low Cut
Shorts:  The North Face Better Than Naked Split Shorts

The Battleship North Carolina Half Marathon in Wilmington, North Carolina marked my eleventh half marahton and second of 2016.  This was my first time doing the Battleship Half but I heard good things about it from friends who have done it in the past.  The race crosses three bridges and we all know I like running bridges.  The course is one big loop that goes through downtown Wilmington, around Greenfield Lake, and eight state records have been set on the course in the seventeen year history of the event.  

I like doing half marahtons, especially during marathon training cycles.  I've ran my best Halfs during marahton training without tapering for the races.  They are good tuneups and good to see where I am in my current training.  This half marahton came on week twelve of my eighteen week marathon training plan for the 3 Bridges Marathon on December 17th in Little Rock, Arkansas.  My coach, Philip Latter, of The Running Syndicate, designed my custom plan and I have been enjoying it and progressing nicely on his plan.  I was coming off consecutive 70 mile weeks and two back to back long runs on Saturday and Sunday the week before this race.  On Saturday, eight days before, I ran my longest long run of the training cycle; 23 miles at 7:26 min/pace.  I followed that up the day after with another 10 miles on hills in William B. Umstead State Park at 7:14 min/mile pace.  I was a little worried about what I would have in my legs after those runs and the previous two weeks but I trust Philip because his coaching has gotten results.  

My Dad and I arrived in Wilmington on Saturday afternoon, the day before the race, and checked into a great place I found on Airbnb.  I highly recommend Airbnb because you can usually get better deals on a whole house/townhome/apartment than you can for a hotel room.  My Dad and I went to the pre-race dinner onboard the Battleship that was catered by Middle of the Island.  It was fun to dine on the Battleship just as World War II Soldiers had.  The food provided was salad, spaghetti, pasta with chicken, garlic bread, and brownies for desert.  I opted for the pasta with chicken and it was good.  After dinner, Dad and I walked around the Battleship doing our own tour so to speak.  We eventually found the Memorial Room which had the names of all the Soldiers from North Carolina, broken down my county, that were killed during World War II.  We found my Grandma's brother, Robert Hill, on the list.  He was on a submarine that was sunk off the North Carolina coast by a German U-boat during the war.  

Race day parking at the battleship is tough so my Dad and I parked in Downtown Wilmington for free and opted to take the free River trolley across to the startling line.  I recommend getting to downtown Wilmington no later than 6:30am on race morning, an hour and a half before the start, because free parking does fill up fast and the parking decks are not free on the weekends.  

Race morning arrived with temperatures in the low 40s for the start.  The sun was out, no clouds, and no wind.  I ate a Pop-Tart about an hour and a half before the start and then did a scoop and a half of Generation UCAN thirty minutes before the start.  I've been using UCAN a lot during this training cycle and I really like it!  2 scoops have fueled my 20+ mile runs without needeing anything else during them.  I did an easy fourteen minutes warm-up on the roads around the Battleship after my dynamic warm-up routine.  

​Runners gathered for the National Anthem before the start which was very well sung.  The race started and I went out quick, a little too fast, but then settled in after a half mile.  We came out of Battleship Road and turned right and headed for the first bridge.  We hit the bottom of the first bridge at about 0.75 miles and started the gradual climb up.  The hill wasn't that bad but it is a hill.  I'm used to running high rise bridges from growing up in Beaufort, NC and still running the high rise bridges a lot when I'm home. The first mile marker is about a tenth of a mile once you come off the first bridge.  I ran mile one in 6:05, so a little fast, and ahead of my current 1:19:33 PR pace.  I felt good though but knew I had to settle in.  There were a couple runners around me and a pack ahead of me.  

The second bridge, the Isabel Holmes Bridge, was up next starting at 1.6 miles and it climbed about 33 feet before you start the downhill and come off the bridge at 2 miles.   Once off the bridge the course turns right onto 3rd Street then another right onto North Front Street.  There was a guy and girl on either side of me and I asked them what pace they were trying to run and only the guy responded and told me he went out too fast and I should go ahead with the pace I had planned.  The girl didn't say a word but continued beside me through downtown Wilmington.

We continuted down North Front Street staying on 6:10 min/mile pace.  We made a right turn onto Dock Street and then a left on Water Street and we were running on an old brick road instead of asphalt pavement.  It was fine though and it didn't bother me.  We made another left on Ann Street and had a 200m steep uphill back to South Front Street.  I ran miles two and three at 6:07 min/mile pace and mile four in 6:11.   

​We did two more right turns off of Front Street and were running on Church and Surry Streets before taking Queen Street back to Front and Front to Greenfield Street.  Greenfield Street took us out to a nice loop around Greenfield Lake via Lake Shore Drive.  It was a nice, shady neighborhood with a lot of turns.  They could have used more signs and volunteers on this part of the course.  I was starting to pull away from the girl who had been with me for the first four miles.  I was far enough behind the runner ahead of me I couldn't see what turns he was taking.  I asked a couple sepctators in the neighborhood which way to go and luckily they directed me the correct way.   I ran mile five in 6:08 and was still feeling strong and focused on catching the runners ahead of me. 

The weather was warming up and I was glad I was just in shorts and my Duke singlet.  I ran miles six, seven, and eight in 6:09, 6:11, and 6:13.  I passed several runners in the Lake neighborhood, one of which was a HS kid in his Topsail Jersey that went out way too fast and he was fading fast and still had half the race to go.  Miles nine and ten were ran in 6:09 and 6:11.  The whole loop around Lake Greenfield is about 5.3 miles and it has a few gradual hills in the neighborhood but it is a pretty section of the race course.  I was staying consistent and planned to pick up the pace the final 5K and take a shot at a sub 1:20.  

​Once out of the Lake Greenfield loop, you go back down Front Steet for mile eleven and runners then take the on-ramp onto the final bridge across the Cape Fear River.  I ran mile eleven in 6:09 and was still picking up the pace going up the Memorial Bridge.  The tricky part was the metal grate deck of the draw bridge.  I was trying to pick up the pace as we neared mile 12 on the bridge but the metal grate deck was making that difficult as I didn't want to fall because that would have been messy and painful.  I ran mile tweleve in 6:05.  I hope in the future they can put some mats down over the metal grates as that would greatly improve safety running across the draw bridge.  Once off the metal grate section I picked the pace back up as I tried to chase a sub 1:20.  

I looked down at my watch and was on sub 6 min/mile pace for the final mile.  Once off the bridge you turn right onto Battleship Road as you head for the finish.  I felt strong as I ran mile thirteen in 5:59.  I ended up finishing 6th overall out of 1031 with a time of 1:20:36.  I was also first in my age group.  After finishing a United States Marine placed my medal around my neck and I thanked him for his military service.   

​I really enjoyed this race.  The event staff did a great job communicating with runners leading up the the event and race day orginization was wonderful.  My Dad and I enjoyed the pre-race dinner on the Battleship the night before and thought that was a nice touch.  The course is great.  It is not flat but the hills aren't that bad.  Most hills are gradual except a few steep 200m or less hills.  My Garmin had the elevation gain at 344 feet which is just enough to mix up the muscles so you are not pounding flats for so long.  The race medal was very nice, it is one of my favorite race medals that I've ever gotten.  The only suggestions I have to improve the race is to have more course signs and volunteers out on the course.  Ideally, there should be a sign or volunteer at every single turn and there wasn't as I had to ask spectators a couples times to make sure I was going the right way.  The other suggestion to improve the race would be to place mats over the metal grate decks on the two bridges that had  those.  I still highly recommend this race and it is one I would do again.  Thank you to the race directors and staff for putting on a great event!  

The Twin Bridges 8K Road Race has always been special to me.  It is a point to point course from the Beaufort draw bridge down the causeway, up and over the Morehead City high rise bridge, through downtown Morehead City, up and over the Atlantic Beach high rise bridge, and finishes at the Scotchman store just before the Circle at Atlantic Beach.  My first Twin Bridges Race in 2000 was just two days after a high school cross country race; I finished 4th in 29:35.  I love the course because I like running the bridges.  I also love the point to point as it goes by faster running it than driving it.  The race also meant a lot to Sonny and Taylor Hyman as they were the ones who started it.  As Katherine Price said it's also the kickoff to Fall and cooler weather.  It's the last big road race in the area for the year as well.  I've won the race once; in 2013.  I've only missed the race twice since 2000.  I try really hard to make it back home for the race and the Seafood Festival it is apart of every year.  I have strong ties to my hometown and love the running community in Carteret County.  

This year was the 30th running of the event.  Severe thunderstorms threatened the race but they stopped just hours before leaving wet roads and a headwind in our face the whole way.  It used to be rare for this race to have a headwind however the last couple years it has happened more often.  I missed the race last year when it was a tailwind and when I last ran it in 2014 it was a headwind.  I arrived at the starting line shortly after 7am and waited for most runners to arrive via the bus service from the finish line.  I've been parking at the start and getting my car afterwards on the way back home for years because it's a lot less hassle.  

I did a scoop of Generation UCAN about 35 minutes before the start and then started my dynamic warm-up.  I then met Katherine and Heidi and we headed off for an easy warm-up run to the Beaufort waterfront and back.  We had overcast skies and cooler temperature to go along with the headwind.  At least it wasn't sunny, hot, and humid.  I wore my Adidas neon green shorts for Sonny Hyman because it was his favorite color and mine too.   I also wore my Adidas Adizero Boston 5 boost shoes.  

I was drafted the entire way during the 2014 race until the final half mile when 3 runners passed me and I finished 4th.  I swear if I had stopped and walked earlier in that race they would have done the same just to say behind me in the headwind.  After finishing my warm-up I decided I wasn't going to let that happen in the headwind this year.  I was going to be more aggressive and break the pack up.  

The race started and a couple kids bolted out fast but that didn't last long.  Katherine and I soon took the lead with our friend Brendon Hodge with us.  We ran side by side as we started up the first bridge, the Morehead City high rise at 0.75 miles.  We ran the first mile in 6:01 and kept climbing to the top into the headwind.  Our pace slowed going uphill into the headwind but I knew we could pick it back up going down the other side.  We saw Sally Kelly on the side at the top taking pictures.  I love that she gets them on the first bridge every year.  

After coming off the second bridge I did a surge to pick the pace up and to start to break up any group of runners that was with me and Katherine.  I didn't look back to see who was still with us after my surge but it didn't feel like there was many.  We ran mile two in 6:07.  I did another surge after the second mile to keep anyone from hanging with us.  Around 2.5 miles we saw our friend David Garrison and he was cheering us on and said we were alone out in front.  I smiled and told him he should be out here with us running.  He's a good runner and I had many close races against him and Sonny over the years.  

The wind was tough but I knew it was going to get tougher when we started up and over the final bridge.  Katherine and I were still clicking off the miles together.  It felt like a training run with her beside me.  We talked back and forth and enjoyed the race and running together.  After a third mile in 6:09 I told Katherine if we were still clear of the field at the final bridge it would be really cool to finish side by side as a tribute to Sonny and Taylor.  We talked about that and got a little emotional thinking about them and what their reaction would be seeing us finish together.  We just had to make sure no one ran us down from behind so we could have that moment.  

​We started up the final bridge, the Atlantic Beach high rise bridge, around 3. 8 miles.  The wind was the strongest in our face now.  I still felt pretty good.  At one point going up Katherine told me to go ahead because she thought she was slowing me down.  I told her I wouldn't leave her.  I wasn't going to leave her unless we started getting caught from behind because I wasn't going to lose the race.  

We ran mile four in 6:16 which wasn't bad going uphill into the headwind.  We saw my Dad at the four mile marker and he took pictures and cheered us on.  I think he told us we were all clear and he couldn't see anyone behind us.  We were able to pick it up going down the bridge.  A downhill even in a headwind is a good thing.  Coming off the bridge we still had about half a mile of flat running to go to get to the finish line.  I did a quick look over my shoulder and didn't see anyone.  As we neared the finish I had the idea to grab Katherine's left hand and we raised our arms together as we crossed the finish line side by side in a tie for 1st place Overall in 30:46.  Run The East got a great video of us finishing that you can watch on YouTube.  Second place was two minutes behind us.  Our friend Brendon placed 5th in 33:04 and Heidi was 6th Overall and second woman in 33:26.  

Despite the wind my friend Eric beat his time from last year by 3:39 running 43:34 this year.  He credits his girlfriend Kathryn for getting him to run more and having faster progression runs.  This was Kathryn's first Twin Bridges Road Race and she placed 3rd in her age group.  

​We may not get many chances to finish like that so I'm thankful Katherine and I got the opportunity to finish side by side for Sonny and Taylor.  I knew Sonny and Taylor were smiling down from Heaven with pride and happiness seeing two of their runners and friends finish side by side for the win.  They meant so much to us and the whole running community that I am honored I was as close to them as I was.  As a result it is one of the most special and meaningful races I have ran.  The Carteret County News Times did a great job covering the event, as always. They did interviews with us after the race and wrote a wonderful article.  I am thankful for their support and covering of my running since high school.  You just don't get the newspaper to cover road races in larger areas and it's another thing that makes Carteret County special.  

This was the 30th Annual Twin Bridges 8K  Road Race.  My bib number had a 3 in it.  Sonny loved the number 3.  The number 3 has been my favorite since elementary school.  Call it foreshadowing or fate.  The results were meant to be.  I believe Sonny and Taylor had a direct impact on the race and were with me and Katherine.  

I've been wanting to do the BFF Pink Ribbon Run at Barefoot Resorts and Marina in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina since my friend Dawn became race director for it.  It just hasn't worked out until this year.  The race creates awareness and raises funds for those fighting and surviving breast cancer and honors the memory of those who have passed on.  

The race has a 5K, 10K, and Double Bling Challenge where you can run that 5K at 8am and the 10K at 9am.  You get a finisher's medal for the 5K and 10K.  If you opt for the Double Bling Challenge you'll get an additional medal for completing both races.  The 5K course is a loop and out and back and finishes in the Marina where the boats are docked.  The 10K is a loop course through the Barefoot Resort neighborhoods and also finishes in the Marina.  

I started training under Philip Latter of The Running Syndicate again in August.  Since last winter I have been training without a coach because I was having upper right hamstring/pirformis tightness and pain. I didn't see the need for a coach because I couldn't push it like I wanted.  With the help of time off, physical therapy, massage therapy, and chiropractic adjustments I've gotten a lot better.  After running a disappointing time at the Historic Beaufort Road Race in July I knew I needed to mix it up and get guidance so I turned to Philip Latter.  The big goal is a winter marathon in December I planned on doing with my friend Jarrod before he started having some knee pain and has had to back off of training.  I haven't done a marathon since my 2:49:52 PR at the Boston Marathon in 2014 so I'm eager to get back.  

Training has been going well since starting with Philip.  I like his philosophy and looking forward to getting stronger and faster under him.  He knows what he's doing and I highly recommend him if you are looking to improve your times and/or feel stuck in a rut with your current training.  Anyways, I wanted to test my fitness and see how I was progressing and was thankful I got the opportunity to finally do the BFF Pink Ribbon Run.  I chose to do the 10K because it's still one of my favorite distances.  

I arrived at Barefoot Resort just before the start of the 5K at 8am.  The 10K didn't start until 9am so I had time to get my race packet, relax, and warm-up before racing.  They had plenty of parking and it was paced because of a great turnout!  There were plenty of volunteers assisting you with parking and where to go to get your packet and anything else you needed.  

The weather was nice for a race.  It was cloudy, breezy, and temperature in the mid 70s.  I did a scoop of Generation UCAN about 40 minutes before the start of the race.  I've been using UCAN in my training and I like it!  No stomach issues with it and plenty of slow burning complex carbohydrates to fuel my runs and it has no added sugar.  I've ran 17 miles on just two scoops of UCAN and water before my run and felt great with plenty of energy throughout the run.  I headed out for an easy 2 miles warm-up run after doing my dynamic strething.  I found my friend Molly Nunn and warmed up with her.  She was doing the double bling challenge and won the 5K in 18:25.  She's fast and awesome and I was glad she was able to come.  We did an easy 2 miles before making our way over for the 10K start at 9am.  

I thought the girl singing the Star Spangled Banner before the start of the race was a nice touch as was the moment of silence for those that have passed on from cancer.  I noticed one guy that looked fast.  He was decked out in Saucony gear and I assume he was a Pro runner.  He said he was aiming for low 30s.  The race started and he was out fast as was I just behind him.  My plan was to go out around 6:00 min/mile pace and pick it up to sub 6 the final two miles.  Just after half a mile we ran up the only hill on the course.  It was a bridge over the Carolina Bays Parkway.  It was a good hill but gradual.  I like running hills and bridges.  The leader was already pulling away from me so I just focused on running my race.  

The road pavement was smooth and flat.  No crown where it slopes down from the middle of the road to the sides.  It was great to race on.  I ran the first mile in 6:04.  I kept my effort and pace even and kept clicking off the miles.  The course went through the neighborhoods of Barefoot Resort and it was really nice and pretty.  The first half of the course was pretty shady too and the clouds helped keep it a little cooler.  I ran miles two through four in 6:03, 6:04, and 6:08.  I was staying consistent but was also feeling a little tired.  I did a couple looks over my shoulder around some of the gentle turns and noticed Molly was behind me.  I know she has faster PRs than me but I wanted to hold her off since she was doing the 5K and 10K and I was only running the 10K.  

​My plan was to pick up the pace the final two miles to under 6:00 but after mile four we were running into the wind.  The headwind was tough and the sun had come out through the crowds making it feel warmer.  My effort increased the final two miles but my pace did not.  I ran miles five and six in 6:16 and 6:23.  I was able to pick it up the final quarter for a kick to the finish with the help of a slight downhill into the Marina before it flattened out and we ran along the boat docks to the finish.  I ran the final 0.2 miles at 5:46 pace to finish 2nd Overall in 38:28.  Molly was right behind me finishing 3rd Overall and 1st Woman in 38:42.  The winner was Brett Morley in 32:22 which set a new 10K course record.  

It wasn't as fast as I wanted but I enjoyed the race and loved the course.  It was 1:55 faster than my last race in July so that was good.  Molly had a great day of racing!  She won the 5K, 10K, and Double Bling Challenge.  She set the women's 5K course record and the double bling records.  

I opted to wear the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante for the race.  That shoe has been growing on me.  I've used it for a track workout and intervals on the greenway and I like it more than I used to.  I had to wear my North Carolina flag singlet for a race in South Carolina!  

This is a well organized and supported race.  Everything was great.  They even had free race photos they uploaded to their Facebook page.  It is a beautiful loop course instead of your typical out and back.  Dawn White and her volunteers put on a first class event. I highly recommend doing this race.   

This was my 19th consecutive year of running the Historic Beaufort Road Race.  It was my first road race back in 1997.  I've the 5k the most at eleven times from 1997-2007, the 10K eight times from 2007-2010 and 2013-2016, and the mile in 2011 and 2012.  I've been second place overall in all three distances but I did win the 10K in 2014.  My best 10K time there is 37:21 in 2007 on a rare cooler July day in Beaufort that was cloudy and even some light rain where my friend Anne Wheatly and I tied at the line for 2nd place overall.  Beaufort is tough because of the heat and humidity in July.  It's much warmer on the coast and more humid in the mornings than it is inland.  It's been tough to train for it living inland.  The course are flat and the 10K is a good course, just not in July but I 've been doing the 10K because I think I'm better at that distance than the 5K and I do tolerate heat and humidity better than most as evident as my 3:04 marathon in the 90 degree heat at the Boston Marathon in 2012.  

My training has been improving since the spring.  I still have some upper right hamstring and pirformis tightness but it's a lot better than it was last year this time.  It mostly bothers me now on longer tempos and pushing the pace to sub 6:00 min/mile for an extended time.  I've been working on building my mileage back up into the mid 50s per week.  My goal for Beaufort is the same every year.  I want to win!  I always want to win my hometown races.  I probably put too much pressure on myself than I should and I get more nervous for races back home than I do much bigger races elsewhere.  

I arrived at the race at my usual one hour before the start.  After parking I went and met up with Steve, Eric, and Lauren and her Dad before doing my dynamic warm-up and an easy 1.3 miles before the start.  It was already hot and humid with the heat index at 92 but we had some clouds and a breeze coming off the water.  I took two frozen water bottles with me on my warm-up to try and keep the body temp lower.  I think it helped some but they were both half melted after 10 minutes.  I went and told my friend Paul Kelly Good Luck as he lined up for the wheelchair start.  After that I saw Mr. and Mrs. Teachey.  I've known them since high school and they coached at Swansboro.  

I lined up for the start and we were off.  Several guys went out fast and I figured they were under estimating the heat and humidity.  I settled in running with Hunter Newman, last year's 10K winner.  My plan was to go out between 6:10-6:15 pace, slower than last year because I wanted to pace this year better.  I felt good but could tell the effort was high for that pace so early in the race.  The guy calling out the first mile splits was standing about .05-0.10 before the mile marker so the first mile was off.  He had me and Hunter at 5:48 the first mile but my watch had us pacing at 6:08 pace.  

I felt good but Hunter started to pull away from me some after the first mile.  I thought there was 2 guys ahead of me counting him once the 5K runners made the turn-around and headed back to the finish.  I kept my pace between 6:10 and 6:15 as we neared the two mile marker which was a little farther away than it should have been.  I've been running the 10K for eight times now so I know where the mile markers should be.  I don't understand why their locations vary some every year.  I ran mile two in 6:15 and passed Hunter as we turned left onto Lennoxville Road.  I could see another guy far ahead of me in the distance and knew I was either going to have to start dropping sub 5:50s to catch him or he was going to blowup from going out too fast.  

I tried staying consistent on my pace but was slowing down some in the heat and humidity.  Once we turned off of Lennosville we entered the Historic District.  The breeze that was coming off the water was now being blocked by the houses being so close together but we had some shade thanks to the trees.  I ran miles three and four in 6:20 and 6:31.  I wasn't gaining any on 2nd place.  It was just tough.  The effort was there and I was trying to run faster but kept losing time.  

I ran mile five in 6:45 but was almost out of the historic district.  At 5.46 miles you make a right turn back onto Front Street after running down Hill Street.  I was thankful to be back on Front Street because there was the breeze and it helped some.  I was hoping to be able to pick up the pace for a final drive to the finish but I didn't have anything left.  What I also didn't know was I wasn't in 2nd place like I thought.  There were two guys ahead of me, not one.  The guy that went out really fast faded some and got passed by another runner.  So I finished 3rd Overall in 40:22.  The winner was 23 year old Kevin Bennert in 35:37; a really impressive time in the heat and humidity.  

It wasn't the race I wanted.  I was hoping to beat my 38:52 from last year but that didn't happen.  Just a tough day with the heat and humidity.  That's Beaufort in July though.  I still enjoy doing it and getting back home as much as I can and supporting the races.  My favorite thing about the Beaufort Road Race is seeing the same crowd and friends every year.  Carteret County has a great running community; one that I've said is the best I've been apart of.  

This was the ninth year of the Crystal Coast Half Marathon and it had some changes including a new race director and management group.  The courses were also changed.  Instead of starting in front of The Sanitary Restaurant we started on 8th Street and had to make a hard left onto Evans where we ran until 21st Street where we turned left instead of going right and to Arendell Street like in the past.  The course still did a 3 mile loop on the waterfront using Shepard and Shackleford Streets.  After the loop on the Morehead Waterfront the course still went over the Atlantic Beach High Rise Bridge and left onto Fort Macon Road, did a loop on Bogue Sound Drive and then headed towards Fort Macon and returned the same way.

​  I wasn't sure what my goal was for this race because I wasn't in my usual half marathon PR shape.  I'm still getting over an upper right hamstring/pirformis pain and tightness.  I've been able to train more since my last race on January 1st.  I've gotten my mileage into the upper 50s.  I've been able to do some shorter tempos but nothing long and sustained at tempo pace yet.  I did have a really good 15 miler with my training partner Jarrod with the final 10 at  6:33, 6:31, 6:30, 6:28, 6:26, 6:28, 6:31, 6:24, 6:22, 6:16 on January 31st.  We followed that up with a good progression long run on February 7th where we did 4 easy at 7:14 pace, 4 at 6:29, 6:29, 6:26, 6:29, 1 easy, 3 at 6:16, 6:14, 6:15, 1 easy, 2 at 6:07, 5:56, and 1 easy.  Those two long runs gave me some needed confidence.  

I wanted to do this race because I've always done it.  I've won it twice and ran my 1:19:33 PR there even in the wind.  This race is known for its wind but this year the wind was the best it's ever been.  It was still a headwind on the Morehead Waterfront and coming back from the Circle, over the bridge, and back to Morehead but it wasn't as bad as it typically is.  

I got to the race around 8am and talked with my friend Ronnie Davenport before meeting my Dad and Katherine.  Katherine and I did a short 1.5 mile warm-up before making our way over to the start.  The temperature was in the mid 40s and sunny.  I opted to wear my Adidas Compression Short tights, Raleigh Running Outfitters Singlet I got from Jason Broll, my Adidas Adizero Boston 5 boost shoes, and my smartwool neon green socks.  Smartwool socks are by far my favorite!  Their merino wool blend is comfortable and dries far better than Balega and Feetures.  They do not get too hot, that's a misconception about smartwool.  They stray dryer longer and wick way better in the heat and humidity than the polyester socks of Balega and Feetures.  

It was a good race and better than I expected.  Yes, I wanted to win badly.  I always do.  If I had more short speed and leg turnover I think I would have won.  I still ran really well considering I'm not 100% yet.  In the nine years of this race I haven't finished lower than fourth place and have an average finish of 2.3.  I was so happy seeing Katherine smash her PR!  She ran a great race.  She's been training for her first Boston Marathon on a plan I made for her and she's been doing great.  I have no doubt she's gonna PR the marathon too by minutes.  
​
Now to analyze the new race management and new course.  I didn't mind avoiding Arendell Street but I think the older course was easier to follow.  I didn't like a hard left turn so soon after the start and I didn't like the hard right turn at 13.1 to finish.  There were a lot of turns and signs but none of the signs specified if they were for the Half, 10K, or 5K.  On the way back to the finish through the waterfront neighborhoods I heard several runners asking course monitors which way to go and the monitors didn't know either.  The confusion on the course seemed to be mostly from the 5K and 10K.  Hopefully next year they can remedy that and either change the courses or have specified signs for each distance.  I thought there was plenty of water and gatorade on the course.  The course was mostly well marked.  There were no mile markers for miles four and eleven for the half or two and four for the 10K because they were on the bridge and wouldn't have stayed in place with the wind.  The post race amenities were a step up.  The post race food and beer were provided by Tight Lines Brewing Company.  It was fun hanging out inside Tight Lines and outside on their patio for the awards.  The awards were nice.  I got a plaque for 3rd overall and a yoga mat or some kind of big mat you could have a picnic on.  The medals were nice too.  Overall, the new management did a good job but it can be improved on.

The Beaufort Resolution Run is part of the Crystal Coast Countdown of events to ring in the new year.  The race is on Front Street in the Beaufort, NC and is the same course as the Historic Beaufort Road Race in July.   I ran the race the first year they had it in 2012 and placed 3rd overall in 18:16 but haven't ran it since.  

​I decided to do it this year even though I am not in race shape.  I've had my first running injury that didn't get better with rest.  I pushed through it a lot last spring and summer before finally deciding to take time off and get physical therapy to address the pain and tightness.  I've been very tight on my right side and had some pain in the upper right hamsting, pirformis, and hip rotators.  I saw my friend Katherine Price, The Body Shoppe Physical Therapy, in Beaufort.  I've known Katherine for years and she's a trusted, close friend, and accomplished runner.  She was able to point out my muscle imbalances and give me exercises to strengthen and stretch the areas.  She's wonderful and will take the time to listen to you.  She's very knowledgeable and the community is fortunate to have her.  I've also been seeing my friend Holly Fisher of Holly Fisher Massage Therapy in Morehead City.  Holly is wonderful as well and the combination of physical therapy and massage therapy has really improved my pain and tightness.  

The hardest part of the injury was the mental part.  I hated missing the Twin Bridges 8K Road Race last October and I passed on training for a Fall marathon.  I could have physically ran the Twin Bridges 8K but I was hurting too much to race it and be competitive.  It's also not good to push yourself in a race if you're hurt.  The risk of doing more damage is just not worth it.  I took most of the month of October off from running and started back in November gradually building my base and mileage back up while doing the Physical Therapy exercises 5 days a week.  The exercises were a tough workout and made me realize my core wasn't as strong as I thought it was!  I ran 115 miles in November gradually going from 24 miles a week to 34 by the end of the month.  I continued that in December running 183.2 miles going from 34 a week to 46.  I was pain free on my recovery runs but was still having some tightness on my short tempos and long runs and would get tighter after running but as soon as I would do the PT exercises I felt better.  

Since I felt my base was coming back and I had a good 15 miles long run on the last Sunday in December with miles 10-14 at close to marathon pace I decided to do the Resolution Run to see where I was fitness wise and use it as a baseline going forward.  I knew I wasn't in race shape but I wanted to race.  I missed it.  I missed the pre-race nerves, the atmosphere, and pushing myself.  I had no goal other than to run hard without hurting and if I hurt the plan was to back off and run easy.  

My Dad and I arrived on Front Street shortly after 8am.  The race started at 9am.  It was overcast with the temperature in the mid 50s and a light breeze.  I was glad it was cooler because it hadn't felt like winter yet and I enjoy the cold.  It wasn't raining either as storms had cleared the coast around 7:30am.  I talked with my friends Ronnie Davenport and Kent Pittman before getting my number and eating a coconut chocolate chip Cliff Bar.  I did my dynamic warm-up routine and headed off for an easy 2 mile warm-up jog at 8:10 pace.  I felt good, no tightness but I didn't expect any on the warm-up.  The test would be how I felt at race pace.  I decided to wear my 5Ks 4 K9s singlet from the Volunteer group for the Pitt County Animal Shelter in Greenville, NC.  

The race started and I went straight to the lead following the police car leading us down Front Street.  I knew I wasn't in PR shape so I was smart and didn't go out at PR pace.  The plan was to go out around 6:00 min pace but I was closer to 5:50.  I felt good though; nothing was pulling and nothing was hurting.  I wasn't sure how far anyone was behind me until I heard splashes from the puddles from all the rain we've had recently.  I wasn't ahead by much but I was guessing I had about a 10 second lead.  Of course I wanted to win the race but not the the expense of hurting so I tried staying consistent on my pace and effort.

Instead of hitting the lap button on my watch at every mile marker like I usually do in races I just hit it at the halfway point at the turnaround.  I ran the first half in 9:02, 5:52 min/mile pace.  I felt good and I was leading by about 10 seconds over second place and there was a larger gap from second to third place.  My goal for the second half was to run consistent and hold on for the win.  

I still wasn't feeling any pain but adrenaline is a wonderful thing and I'm sure it was helping in the pain department.  I got some cheers on the way back as others were still going towards the turn and I cheered several friends on as well.  I was staying consistent on my pace and second place wasn't gaining on me so I kept running hard.  I could tell I hadn't done any speedwork as the effort felt harder than the pace was showing.  

I ran the second half in 9:18, 5:53 min/mile pace and Won the race in 18:20!  I was pleased with the effort and time.  I was thrilled I raced pain free but some of that was adrenaline as I got tighter later in the day from the race.  It was a good effort to establish a baseline for my current fitness.  The plan is to keep building my base back up and keep doing the PT exercises to work on the areas I'm still having problems with.  

I'd like to get in shape for the Crystal Coast Half Marathon on March 5th.  I may not be able to get in PR shape by then but I'd like to get close.  I've ran the Crystal Coast Half every year it's been held and been fortunate to win it twice.  I'm also considering the Tobacco Road Half Marathon on March 13th.  It's a great race as well and it is where I ran my first sub 3 hour marathon; a 2:55 in 2010 the first year of the event.  The race director puts on a first class event!  

The race had nice awards for the overall winners.  I won a small cooler and headlamp.  The race didn't have chip timing and didn't really need it.  If it gets bigger in the future then yes but you can still score a smaller race fine with pull tags without the expensive cost of a timing company.  They also had a 1 mile run.  This is a nice event to do with your family and friends to be active to start the new year.